Cleaning evaluation: Microbial TOC recovery rate and linearity

[Application Note] Reducing Microbial Contamination Risks with TOC

In the food and beverage industry, effective cleaning of manufacturing equipment is essential to deliver high-quality and safe products to consumers. It is particularly important to appropriately reduce the risk of contamination by microorganisms. According to the FDA, the primary cause of product recalls in the food and beverage industry in 2017 was product contamination by microorganisms. Therefore, proper cleaning processes are required to reduce microbial contamination. Additionally, it is important to have means to verify the effectiveness of the cleaning process. TOC (Total Organic Carbon) is a widely adopted non-specific analytical method for detecting potential contaminants such as product residues, detergents, and microorganisms. To use TOC, it is necessary to consider the recovery rates and linearity of substances that may remain after cleaning. While testing for chemical contaminants and compounds using TOC is common, there is limited information regarding the recovery rates of microorganisms. By using the Sievers M9 TOC analyzer, it is possible to detect microbial residues at lower concentrations than visual inspection in cleaning evaluations. TOC analysis is effective for measuring residues, monitoring cleaning processes, and reducing overall risks. This enables more accurate and efficient microbial management in the cleaning evaluation of manufacturing equipment.

Analytical Equipment and Devices